URANS vs. experiments of flow induced motions of multiple circular cylinders with passive turbulence control

Two-dimensional Unsteady Reynolds-Average Navier–Stokes equations with the Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model are used to simulate the flow induced motions of multiple circular cylinders with passive turbulence control (PTC) in steady uniform flow. Four configurations with 1, 2, 3, and 4 cylinders in tandem are simulated and studied at a series of Reynolds numbers in the range of 30 000<Re<120 000. Simulation results are verified by experimental data measured in the Marine Renewable Energy Laboratory. Good agreement was observed between the values of vorticity, amplitude ratio, and frequency ratio predicted by numerical simulations and experimental measurements. The amplitude and frequency response show the initial and upper branches in vortex induced vibration (VIV), transition from VIV to galloping, and galloping branch for all PTC-cylinders. The maximum amplitude of 2.9 diameters for the first cylinder is achieved at Re=104 356 in the numerical results. Compared with the first cylinder, the VIV initial branch starts at higher Re for the downstream cylinders due to the presence of the upstream cylinder(s). 2P and 2P+2S vortex patterns are observed at Re=62 049 and Re=90 254 for the single PTC-cylinder. Furthermore, the shed vortices of the downstream cylinders are strongly disrupted and modified by the vortices shed from the upstream one in the cases of multiple PTC-cylinders.     

Strouhal numbers,forces and flow structures around two tandem cylinders of different diameters

This paper presents a detailed investigation of Strouhal numbers, forces and flow structures in the wake of two tandem cylinders of different diameters. While the downstream cylinder diameter, D, was fixed at 25 mm, the upstream cylinder diameter, d, was varied from 0.24D to D. The spacing between the cylinders was 5.5d, at which vortices were shed from both cylinders. Two distinct vortex frequencies were detected behind the downstream cylinder for the first time for two tandem cylinders of the same diameter. The two vortex frequencies remained for d/D=1.0–0.4. One was the same as detected in the gap of the cylinders, and the other was of relatively low frequency and was ascribed to vortex shedding from the downstream cylinder. While the former, if normalized, declined progressively from 0.196 to 0.173, the latter increased from 0.12 to 0.203 with decreasing d/D from 1 to 0.24. The flow structure around the two cylinders is examined in the context of the observed Strouhal numbers. The time-averaged drag on the downstream cylinder also climbed with decreasing d/D, though the fluctuating forces dropped because vortices impinging upon the downstream cylinder decreased in scale with decreasing d/D.     

基于浸入边界-格子Boltzmann通量求解法的椭圆柱流动特性分析

基于浸入边界-格子Boltzmann通量求解法,开展了雷诺数Re=100不同几何参数下单椭圆柱及串列双椭圆柱绕流流场与受力特性对比研究。结果表明,随长短轴比值的增加,单椭圆柱绕流阻力系数先减小后缓慢上升,最大升力系数则随长短轴比值的增大而减小;尾迹流动状态从周期性脱落涡到稳定对称涡。间距是影响串列圆柱及椭圆柱流场流动状态的主要因素,间距较小时,串列圆柱绕流呈周期性脱落涡状态,而椭圆柱则为稳定流动;随着间距增加,上下游圆柱及椭圆柱尾迹均出现卡门涡街现象,且串列椭圆柱临界间距大于串列圆柱。串列椭圆柱阻力的变化规律与圆柱的基本相同,上游平均阻力大于下游阻力;上游椭圆柱阻力随着间距的变大先减小,下游随间距的变大而增加,当间距达到临界间距时上下游阻力跃升,随后出现小幅度波动再逐渐增加,并趋近于相同长短轴比值下单柱体绕流的阻力。     

Influence of aspect ratio on the flow above the free end of a surface-mounted finite cylinder

The flow above the free end of a surface-mounted finite-height cylinder was studied in a low-speed wind tunnel using particle image velocimetry (PIV). Velocity measurements were made in vertical and horizontal measurement planes above the free end of finite cylinders of aspect ratios AR = 9, 7, 5 and 3, at a Reynolds number of Re = 4.2 × 10⁴. The relative thickness of the boundary layer on the ground plane was δ/D = 1.7. Flow separating from the leading edge formed a prominent recirculation zone on the free-end surface. The legs of the mean arch vortex contained within the recirculation zone terminate on the free-end surface on either side of the centreline. Separated flow from the leading edge attaches onto the upper surface of the cylinder along a prominent attachment line. Local separation downstream of the leading edge is also induced by the reverse flow and arch vortex circulation within the recirculation zone. As the cylinder aspect ratio is lowered from AR = 9 to AR = 3, the thickness of the recirculation zone increases, the arch vortex centre moves downstream and higher above the free-end surface, the attachment position moves downstream, and the termination points of the arch vortex move upstream. A lowering of the aspect ratio therefore results in accentuated curvature of the arch vortex line. Changes in aspect ratio also influence the vorticity generation in the near-wake region and the shape of the attachment line.     

Separated flow structures around a cylindrical obstacle in a narrow channel

A detailed experimental study is performed on the separated flow structures around a low aspect-ratio circular cylinder (pin-fin) in a practical configuration of liquid cooling channel. Distinctive features of the present arrangement are the confinement of the cylinder at both ends, water flow at low Reynolds numbers (Re = 800, 1800, 2800), very high core flow turbulence and undeveloped boundary layers at the position of the obstacle. The horseshoe vortex system at the junctions between the cylinder and the confining walls and the near wake region behind the obstacle are deeply investigated by means of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). Upstream of the cylinder, the horseshoe vortex system turns out to be perturbed by vorticity bursts from the incoming boundary layers, leading to aperiodical vortex oscillations at Re = 800 or to break-away and secondary vorticity eruptions at the higher Reynolds numbers. The flow structures in the near wake show a complex three-dimensional behaviour associated with a peculiar mechanism of spanwise mass transport. High levels of free-stream turbulence trigger an early instabilization of the shear layers and strong Bloor–Gerrard vortices are observed even at Re = 800. Coalescence of these vortices and intense spanwise flow inhibit the alternate primary vortex shedding for time periods whose length and frequency increase as the Reynolds number is reduced. The inhibition of alternate vortex shedding for long time periods is finally related to the very large wake characteristic lengths and to the low velocity fluctuations observed especially at the lowest Reynolds number.     

串列双圆柱绕流问题的数值模拟

本文运用有限体积方法,对绕串列放置的双圆柱的二维不可压缩流动进行了数值计算。为研究两圆柱不同间距对圆柱相互作用和尾流特征的影响,选取间距比Ｌ／Ｄ（Ｌ为两圆柱中心间的距离,Ｄ为圆柱直径）在１．５～５．０之间每隔０．５共八个有代表性的间距进行了计算模拟。计算均在Ｒｅ＝２００条件下进行。计算结果表明：对该绕流问题,流动特征在很大程度上取决于间距的大小。且间距存在一临界值,间距比从小于临界值变化到大于临界     

An active flow control strategy for the suppression of vortex structures behind a circular cylinder

An algorithm is proposed to model, predict and control vortex shedding behind a circular cylindrical configuration. The main ingredients of the algorithm include multiple-feedback sensors, actuators (with zero net mass injection) and a control strategy. Along with the mass and momentum conservation equations, a control equation is implemented to enable the desired flow control goals. A number of sensors are chosen in the downstream of the body to report the state of the flow. The role of externally controllable actuators on the fluid flow patterns past a circular configuration is assessed. To enable, zero net mass injection, two simple rotary type mechanical actuators are located at 120°, right behind the main cylinder. The popular finite volume based SIMPLE scheme is employed for the numerical calculations. As a precursor, the scheme simulates flow past an isolated cylinder, which is validated over a moderate range of Reynolds numbers. The design parameters of interest such as Strouhal number, drag and lift coefficients etc are used for the purpose of validation. The simulated flow fields are compared against the flow visualization study, which clearly demonstrates the efficacy of the actuators at discrete levels of rotation. The basic character of the flow is completely modified at U_c/U_∞ = 2.0 and Re = 100, where a complete suppression of vortex shedding is observed. This is tantamount to complete control of all the global instability modes. Fictitious tracer particles are released to visualize the vortex structures in the form of streaklines. The results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of a rather simple active control algorithm in suppressing the vortex structures. All the relevant fluid flow features of the bluff-body fluid mechanics under the influence of actuators are studied in the sub-critical Reynolds number range of Re = 100–300.     

On the origin of wake-induced vibration in two tandem circular cylinders at low Reynolds number

We numerically investigate flow-induced vibrations of circular cylinders arranged in a tandem configuration at low Reynolds number. Results on the coupled force dynamics are presented for an isolated cylinder and a pair of rigid cylinders in a tandem configuration where the downstream cylinder is elastically mounted and free to vibrate transversely. Contrary to turbulent flows at high Reynolds number, low frequency component with respect to shedding frequency is absent in laminar flows. Appearance and disappearance of the vorticity regions due to reverse flow on the aft part of the vibrating cylinder is characterized by a higher harmonic in transverse load, which is nearly three times of the shedding frequency. We next analyze the significance of pressure and viscous forces in the composition of lift and their phase relations with respect to the structural velocity. For both the isolated and tandem vibrating cylinders, the pressure force supplies energy to the moving cylinder, whereas the viscous force dissipates the energy. Close to the excitation frequency ratio of one, the ratio of transverse viscous force to pressure force is found to be maximum. In addition, movement of stagnation point plays a major role on the force dynamics of both configurations. In the case of isolated cylinder, displacement of the stagnation point is nearly in-phase with the velocity. During vortex-body interaction, the phase difference between the transverse pressure force and velocity and the location of stagnation point determines the loads acting on the cylinder. When the transverse pressure force is in-phase with velocity, the stagnation point moves to higher suction region of the cylinder. In the case of the tandem cylinder arrangement, upstream vortex shifts the stagnation point on the downstream cylinder to the low suction region. Thus a larger lift force is observed for the downstream cylinder as compared to the vibrating isolated cylinder. Phase difference between the transverse load and the velocity of the downstream cylinder determines the extent of upstream wake interaction with the downstream cylinder. When the cylinder velocity is in-phase with the transverse pressure load component, interaction of wake vortex with the downstream cylinder is lower compared to other cases considered in this study. We extend our parametric study of tandem cylinders for the longitudinal center-to-center spacing ranging from 4 to 10 diameter.     

Effect of side ratio on fluid flow and heat transfer from rectangular cylinders using the PANS method

A computational study of heat transfer from rectangular cylinders is carried out. Rectangular cylinders are distinguished based on the ratio of the length of streamwise face to the height of the cross-stream face (side ratio, R). The simulations were performed to understand the heat transfer in a flow field comprising separation, reattachment, vortex shedding and stagnation. The Partially-Averaged Navier–Stokes (PANS) modeling approach is used to solve the turbulent flow physics associated and the wall resolve approach is used for the near wall treatment because of the flow separation involved. The simulations were performed using a finite volume based opensource software, OpenFOAM, at Reynolds number (Re) = 22,000 for rectangular cylinder at constant temperature kept in an air stream. Two critical side ratios were obtained, R = 0.62 and 3.0. At R = 0.62, the maximum value of the drag coefficient (C_d) = 2.681 was observed which gradually reduced by 54% at R = 4.0. The base pressure coefficient and global Nusselt number also attained the maximum value at R = 0.62 and from R = 2.5 to 3.0 a sharp discontinuous increase by 140% in the Strouhal number was observed. At R = 0.62, it was observed that the separated flow reattaches at the trailing edge after rolling over the side face and therefore increases the overall Nusselt number. The phase averaging was also performed to analyze the unsteady behavior of heat transfer.     

Flow/acoustic interactions of two cylinders in cross-flow

The noise generated by two tandem cylinders in a cross-flow (i.e., with the second in the wake of the first) has been investigated. Measurements of turbulence and of fluctuating pressure have been obtained between the two cylinders for different flow velocities and incident levels of turbulence. Although, for a number of cases, up to four peaks related to vortex shedding were evident in the spectrum, most measurements exhibited two peaks, a dominant one at the vortex-shedding frequency, with a secondary peak at twice this value. The measurements show that vortex generated noise is strongest at the mid-point between the cylinders and at the rear cylinder with levels of 130 dB. The harmonic component was strongest at the downstream cylinder where peak values of 110 dB were obtained. The nonlinear flow/acoustic interactions are examined using bispectral analysis to identify the quadratic interactions in the parameters. A novel quadratic modelling method is proposed and shown to be capable of both identifying and quantifying the nonlinear interactions which give rise to noise at harmonics of the vortex-shedding frequency.     

Flow structure around perforated cylinders in shallow water

The experimental investigations were carried out in order to have detailed information on the flow structure around perforated cylinders using high-image density Particle Image Velocimetry technique in shallow water flow. The depth-averaged free-stream velocity was kept constant as U_∞=100 mm/s corresponding to the Reynolds number of Re=10 000 based on the perforated cylinder diameter. In order to analyze the effect of porosity, β on the flow structure, the porosities in the range of 0.1≤β≤0.8 with an increment of 0.1 were used and the results were compared with the bare cylinder case by means of velocity and vorticity contours, turbulent kinetic energy, Reynolds shear stress and streamline topologies. It was concluded that the porosity, β had a substantial effect on the control of large-scale vortical structures downstream of the cylinder in which the shear layers were elongated, fluctuations were significantly attenuated and formation of Karman Vortex Street was successfully prevented by the use of perforated cylinders.     

FLOW PAST TWO CYLINDERS IN TANDEM: INSTANTANEOUS AND AVERAGED FLOW STRUCTURE

A technique of high-image-density particle image velocimetry is employed to characterize the instantaneous and averaged patterns of velocity, vorticity and Reynolds stress due to flow past two cylinders in tandem. These features of the flow patterns are characterized in the gap region as a function of the distance between the cylinders. In turn, they are related to the patterns in the near-wake of the two-cylinder system. Along the gap between the cylinders, small-scale concentrations of vorticity are formed in the separated shear layers. These concentrations buffet the surface boundary layer on the downstream cylinder, and thereby influence the eventual shedding of large-scale vortices. Within the gap, the instantaneous structure of the recirculation zones can exhibit both symmetrical and asymmetrical patterns. In the near-wake of the downstream cylinder, the form of the vortex shedding, as well as the averaged patterns of the flow structure, are substantially altered, relative to the case of a single cylinder. The width of the near-wake, as represented by averaged patterns of vorticity, is substantially narrower and the magnitudes of the peak Reynolds stress are significantly attenuated. On the other hand, if the gap region is sufficiently large such that Kármán-like vortices form between the cylinders, the near-wake of the downstream cylinder shows distinctive patterns, and both the wake width and the magnitude of the Reynolds stresses become larger, relative to those at smaller gap width.     

Instantaneous flow field above the free end of finite-height cylinders and prisms

The flow above the free ends of surface-mounted finite-height circular cylinders and square prisms was studied experimentally using particle image velocimetry (PIV). Cylinders and prisms with aspect ratios of AR = 9, 7, 5, and 3 were tested at a Reynolds number of Re = 4.2 × 10⁴. The bodies were mounted normal to a ground plane and were partially immersed in a turbulent zero-pressure-gradient boundary layer, where the boundary layer thickness relative to the body width was δ/D = 1.6. PIV measurements were made above the free ends of the bodies in a vertical plane aligned with the flow centreline. The present PIV results provide insight into the effects of aspect ratio and body shape on the instantaneous flow field. The recirculation zone under the separated shear layer is larger for the square prism of AR = 3 compared to the more slender prism of AR = 9. Also, for a square prism with low aspect ratio (AR = 3), the influence of the reverse flow over the free end surface becomes more significant compared to that for a higher aspect ratio (AR = 9). For the circular cylinder, a cross-stream vortex forms within the recirculation zone. As the aspect ratio of the cylinder decreases, the reattachment point of the separated flow on the free end surface moves closer to the trailing edge. For both the square prism and circular cylinder cases, the instantaneous velocity vector field and associated in-plane vorticity field revealed small-scale structures mostly generated by the separated shear layer.     

Identification of flow regimes around two staggered square cylinders by a numerical study

The flow over two square cylinders in staggered arrangement is simulated numerically at a fixed Reynolds number (\(Re =150\)) for different gap spacing between cylinders from 0.1 to 6 times a cylinder side to understand the flow structures. The non-inclined square cylinders are located on a line with a staggered angle of \(45^{\circ }\) to the oncoming velocity vector. All numerical simulations are carried out with a finite-volume code based on a collocated grid arrangement. The effects of vortex shedding on the various features of the flow field are numerically visualized using different flow contours such as \(\lambda _{2}\) criterion, vorticity, pressure and magnitudes of velocity to distinguish the distinctive flow patterns. By changing the gap spacing between cylinders, five different flow regimes are identified and classified as single body, periodic gap flow, aperiodic, modulated periodic and synchronized vortex shedding regimes. This study revealed that the observed multiple frequencies in global forces of the downstream cylinder in the modulated periodic regime are more properly associated with differences in vortex shedding frequencies of individual cylinders than individual shear layers reported in some previous works; particularly, both shear layers from the downstream cylinder often shed vortices at the same multiple frequencies. The maximum Strouhal number for the upstream cylinder is also identified at \({G}^{*}=1\) for aperiodic flow pattern. Furthermore, for most cases studied, the downstream cylinder experiences larger drag force than the upstream cylinder.     

Nonintrusive measurements of the boundary layer developing on a single and two circular cylinders

 The boundary layers developing on a single and two tandem circular cylinders were examined using multiple hot-film sensor arrays for Re=2.4–5.1×10⁴. Hot-wire and surface pressure measurements, and smoke-wire flow visualization were also made to better understand the flow pattern and the evolution of the vortex street. The results show that, by use of the sensor arrays in conjunction with a bank of constant-temperature anemometers, (i) the effects of the upstream cylinder on the boundary layer developing on the downstream cylinder, (ii) the frequency of the vortex shedding, and (iii) the locations of flow separation and reattachment can be determined non-intrusively and simultaneously. These measurement capabilities will provide a practical means for the characterization and manipulation of unsteady flow phenomena. Received: 27 October 1996 / Accepted: 13 February 1997     

Force coefficients and Strouhal numbers of three circular cylinders subjected to a cross-flow

In this paper, wind tunnel experiments were conducted to measure the mean force coefficients and Strouhal numbers for three circular cylinders of equal diameters in an equilateral-triangular arrangement when subjected to a cross-flow. These experiments were carried out at five subcritical Reynolds numbers ranging from 1.26 × 10⁴ to 6.08 × 10⁴. The pressure distributions on the surface of the cylinders were measured using pressure transducers. Furthermore, the hot-wire anemometer was employed to measure the vortex shedding frequencies behind each cylinder. Six spacing ratios (l/d) varying from 1.5 to 4 were investigated. It is observed that for l/d > 2, the upstream cylinder experiences a lower mean drag coefficient compared with the downstream cylinders. The minimum values of the drag coefficient for the downstream cylinders occur at l/d = 1.5 and l/d = 2, because there is no vortex shedding from the foregoing cylinders. Also, the value of the pressure coefficient behind the upstream cylinder reduces by increasing l/d. Moreover, by decreasing the value of l/d, the Strouhal number for the upstream cylinder increases. It can be concluded that the flow pattern and aerodynamic coefficients are basically dependent on l/d; in other words, decreasing l/d results in an increase in the effects of the flow interference between the cylinders.     

Low Reynolds number flow over a square cylinder with a detached flat plate

A numerical study of the alteration of a square cylinder wake using a detached downstream thin flat plate is presented. The wake is generated by a uniform flow of Reynolds number 150 based on the side length of the cylinder, D. The sensitivity of the near wake structure to the downstream position of the plate is investigated by varying the gap distance (G) along the wake centerline in the range 0 ⩽ G ⩽ 7D for a constant plate length of L = D. A critical gap distance is observed to occur at G_c ≈ 2.3D that indicates the existence of two flow regimes. Regime I is characterised by vortex formation occurring downstream of the gap while for regime II, formation occurs within the gap. By varying the plate length and gap distance, a condition is found where significant unsteady total lift reduction can occur. The root mean square lift reduction is limited by an unsteady stall process on the plate.     

Feedback control of vortex shedding from two tandem cylinders

The effect of feedback control on vortex shedding from two tandem cylinders in cross-flow is investigated experimentally. The objective is to reduce the downstream cylinder response to vortex shedding and turbulence excitations. Feedback control is applied to a resonant case, where the frequency of vortex shedding coincides with the resonance frequency of the downstream cylinder, and to a nonresonant case, in which the shedding frequency is about 30% higher than the downstream cylinder resonance frequency. A “synthetic jet” issuing through a narrow slit on the upstream cylinder is employed to impart the control effect to the flow. The effect of open-loop control, using pure tones and white noise to activate the synthetic jet, is also examined. It is demonstrated that feedback control can significantly reduce the downstream cylinder response to both vortex shedding and turbulence excitations. For example, the cylinder response is reduced by up to 70% in the resonant case and 75% in the nonresonant case. Open-loop control also can reduce the cylinder response, but is less effective than feedback control. The frequency of vortex shedding is found to increase substantially when white noise is applied. This increase in the shedding frequency is higher than the largest frequency shift that could be produced by open-loop tone excitation.     

Influence of single rectangular groove on the flow past a circular cylinder

In the present study, flow control mechanism of single groove on a circular cylinder surface is presented experimentally using Particle image velocimetry (PIV). A square shaped groove is patterned longitudinally on the surface of the cylinder with a diameter of 50 mm. The flow characteristics are studied as a function of angular position of the groove from the forward stagnation point of the cylinder within 0° ≤ θ ≤ 150°. In the current work, instantaneous and time-averaged flow data such as vorticity, ω streamline, Ψ streamwise, u/U_o and transverse, v/U_o velocity components, turbulent kinetic energy, TKE and RMS of streamwise, u_rms and transverse, v_rms velocity components are utilized in order to present the results of quantitative analyses. Furthermore, Strouhal numbers are calculated using Karman vortex shedding frequency, f_k obtained from single point spectral analysis. It is concluded that a critical angular position of the groove, θ = 80° is observed. The flow separation is controlled within 0° ≤ θ < 80°. At θ = 80°, the flow separation starts to occur in the upstream direction. The instability within the shear layer is also induced on grooved side of the cylinder with frequencies different than Karman vortex shedding frequency, f_k.     

Flow structures around an equilateral triangle arrangement of three spheres

This paper represents the results of an experimental study on the flow structure around a single sphere and three spheres in an equilateral-triangular arrangement. Flow field measurements were performed using a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique and dye visualization in an open water channel for a Reynolds number of Re = 5 × 10³ based on the sphere diameter. The distributions and flow features at the critical locations of the contours of the velocity fluctuations, the patterns of sectional streamlines, the vorticity contours, the turbulent kinetic energy, the Reynolds stress correlations and shedding frequency are discussed. The gap ratios (G/D) of the three spheres were varied in the range of 1.0 ⩽ G/D ⩽ 2.5 where G was the distance between the sphere centers, and D was the sphere diameter which was taken as 30 mm. Due to the interference of the shedding shear layers and the wakes, more complex features of the flow patterns can be found in the wake region of the two downstream spheres behind the leading sphere. For G/D = 1.25, a jet-like flow around the leading sphere through the gap between the two downstream spheres occurred, which significantly enhanced the wake region. It was observed that a continuous flow development involving shearing phenomena and the interactions of shedding vortices caused a high rate of fluctuations over the whole flow field although most of the time-averaged flow patterns were almost symmetric about the two downstream spheres.